Richmond's new panhandling signs — for drivers

Yes, but: The new signs don't ban panhandling. They politely ask would-be cash-givers not to give money to people asking for it. They even say "please."

• Since the signs are "asking for voluntarily compliance from drivers," they're legal, ACLU of Virginia tells Axios.
• "It's a safety issue: It's dangerous for them and it's dangerous for the driver," city spokesperson Petula Burks tells Axios.

Zoom in: In all, about 23 signs went up in the last two weeks at intersections where panhandlers frequent and/or there is a lot of vehicle traffic, Burks says.

• "It's a known best practice — you'll see [signs like these] in other major cities," she adds.

Zoom out: Henrico has had similar signs since 2017, and some jurisdictions in Hampton Roads are considering adding them.

Worth noting: Multiple COVID-era benefits expired in recent months, including enhanced food stamps, which ended in March and meant around 1 million Virginians lost around $95 a month.

Meanwhile, Richmond's unsheltered population grew by about 120% this year over last, WRIC reported.